Choosing the best real estate school is crucial to your real estate career. From self-paced courses and live streams to on-demand videos and in-person classes, these schools will help you achieve the objectives of this field. In this guide, I’ve reviewed the five best real estate schools in Waco, Texas, along with my top three choices.
Want to know my top picks right away? My favorite real estate schools in Texas are Real Estate Express and The CE Shop.
Getting a real estate education from a school in Texas is one of the best ways to start your real estate career. The best thing about real estate education is that getting a certificate and license doesn’t take much time. Plus, there is no doubt the real estate industry in Texas is flourishing. Texas is one of the fastest-growing and most populous states in the U.S. Besides that, the availability of land in Texas has made it an attractive destination for building new houses.
Looking at the advancements and the booming real estate industry in Waco, Texas, I suggest you get a Texas real estate license to kickstart your career. So, how do you choose the best real estate schools in Texas? I’ve compiled reviews of Texas’s best real estate schools to help you choose one. After reading this post, you’ll be able to:
● Pick the best real estate school according to your requirements
● Learn the requirements to get Texas real estate license
What are the Best Real Estate Schools in Waco, Texas?
Texas’s best real estate schools are Real Estate Express, The CE Shop, and Aceable Agent. Texas, also known as the lone star state, has some of the oldest real estate schools in the country. If you’re looking for real estate education in Texas, you’ll quickly find one that meets your requirements. These schools will help you complete 180 hours of pre-licensing courses to obtain your Texas real estate license.
To help you choose one, I’ve compiled the best ones in the state. To review the best schools, I evaluated and researched multiple schools. I used certain factors such as course availability, offerings, price, instructor support, and customer reviews to rank these schools. Following are the detailed reviews of my picks for the best real estate schools:
1. Real Estate Express
Best Overall
Zack’s Take:
Real Estate Express is one of my favorites because it is a well-known and reliable option for real estate education in many states across the U.S.
- Best For: Variety of Course Formats
- Price: $329.40 for pre-licensing, $99 for exam prep
Overview
Real Estate Express has a fantastic pass rate, and that’s because it offers easy-to-understand courses and detailed exam prep materials. Their courses are up-to-date and are prepared by real estate industry experts and professionals. The school has helped more than 350,000 aspiring agents achieve their career goals until now. There are four different packages for their online courses and two options for the Livestream packages. Their packages include free online proctoring, e-books, live exam crammer series, exam-cram webinars, real estate dictionaries, and more.
Highlights
- The school offers a personal and guided approach with live Q&A and instructor support.
- There are online self-paced packages that allow you to learn at your own pace and online livestream packages to learn in real time.
- The school offers individual courses as well as packages to choose any format that matches your professional goals.
- Their platform is user-friendly, with an easy-to-use dashboard, built-in tools, and course materials.
- There are weekly live events that allow you to get instant support for preparing for exams.
Pricing
The basic package is for $329.40, which includes 6 courses of 180 hours of pre-licensing according to the Texas real estate license requirement. There are more packages for additional features such as e-books, digital flashcards, exam prep with audio playback, and more.
What I Like
I like that the real estate school has professionally designed courses that deliver excellent value. Plus, it offers several course formats and options for choosing one that best suits your needs.
What I Dislike
I don’t like that the school doesn’t offer any Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee for the Basic Package. Also, their pass rates are lower than other real estate schools in Texas.
2. The CE Shop
Best for Exam Prep
Zack’s Take:
The CE Shop is one of my top picks because it offers custom solutions to the students for obtaining Texas real estate education.
- Best For Exam Prep
- Price: $471.75 for pre-licensing, $56.25 for exam prep
Overview
The CE Shop is one of the country’s most renowned online real estate schools. It is accredited by ARELLO, and its content is up-to-date and according to the industry changes. At first, the school focused only on providing continuing education classes to real estate agents. However, over the years, it expanded its area of expertise, and now it offers pre-licensing as well as post-licensing education. Their real estate education is for all career levels, and their comprehensive packages include prep courses for real estate exams.
Highlights
- Their online classrooms are equipped with LEAP, a custom learning solution that offers a convenient learning option.
- Their exam prep packages are tailored to help you pass the state’s real estate exam.
- The school allows you to take classes anywhere on your devices at any time, as they are designed for flexibility.
- There is a money-back guarantee on the courses, which allows you to get a refund if your course is less than 50% complete.
- The school offers a 5-days free trial that allows you to see whether the courses suit your requirements.
- They have published their pass rates on the official website, which indicates that their pass rates are the highest in the state.
Pricing
The Standard package costs $471.75, which includes a 180-hour pre-licensing course, online proctoring, exam prep, e-books, career resources, and more. The value package costs $501.75, and Premium Package costs $771.75 and includes additional features.
What I Like
The best thing about this school is that it offers comprehensive exam prep courses. Besides that, it also focuses a lot on interaction so that the aspiring agents get a mix of different study methods.
What I Dislike
One thing which I feel should be improved is the course delivery method. The school offers a variety of course options, but the delivery methods are limited. For instance, there should be livestreamed classes and on-demand videos.
3. Aceable Agent
Best for Flexibility
Zack’s Take:
Aceable Agent is my third pick because it delivers excellent course content via text, video, and audio. Its courses can sync across all devices, including your smartphone, tablet, and laptop.
- Best for Flexibility
- Price: $499 for pre-licensing
Overview
Aceable Agent offers 100% TREC-approved pre-licensing, post-licensing, and continuing education courses. The school offers flexibility to attend classes; you can get real estate courses from your mobile anywhere. Their platform is designed with students’ flexibility in mind. Besides that, you can also move seamlessly among your devices to take classes according to your comfort. Their mobile courses include text, video, audio, and other interactive features to facilitate real estate education.
Highlights
- The school offers three packages for 180-hour pre-licensing courses. The packages include Basic, Deluxe, and Premium.
- Their exam prep includes premium study aids, national and state questions, and real estate exam prep e-books.
- Their pre-licensing course packages include instructor support, live webinars, live Q&A, private tutoring, and mini-courses on how to find the right broker.
- The school is endorsed by top agents like Chris Heller, the number one Keller Williams associate in North America.
- The school has a 76% pass rate, higher than other schools.
Pricing
The basic package costs $499 and offers 180 hours of pre-licensing, whereas the Deluxe and Premium packages are more expensive and include additional features and prep material.
What I Like
I appreciate that Aceable Agent gives excellent flexibility to the students. With their courses, you can learn everything on your smartphone.
What I Dislike
The school should have more comprehensive exam prep material. Besides that, the courses have a limited time of access which makes it difficult for the students to learn everything in a short period quickly.
4. Kaplan
Best for Variety of Delivery Methods
Zack’s Take:
Kaplan is one of my best picks as it offers different course formats so that you can choose any method most suitable for your busy schedule.
- Best For Delivery Methods
- Price: $889 for pre-licensing
Overview
Kaplan has been around in the real industry for decades and has a team of experienced agents and knowledgeable instructors. Their delivery methods include live online, home study, and on-demand videos. Whatever delivery method or format you choose, you’ll get to complete the 180-hours TX pre-licensing course. The school offers students an interactive platform with many educational and new career resources. Their courses are TREC-approved and designed professionally for the best learning experience.
Highlights
- The school offers six pre-licensing courses, and the courses are divided into three different course formats.
- Their courses include home study packages, OnDemand videos, and live online packages.
- There are career packages for those who have obtained their license and are looking for additional help to start their careers.
- The school provides excellent interactive support to the students as their instructors are always ready to answer queries related to real estate courses.
Pricing
Kaplan’s real estate education plans are divided according to the course formats. For instance, the OnDemand package is $449, while the home study package is cheaper; it costs $389. The live online classes are the most expensive, costing $889.
What I Like
I like that Kaplan offers different options for students to obtain a real estate education. Moreover, their new career launch packages are very helpful for starting a real estate career.
What I Dislike
I noticed that the students couldn’t switch between the various course formats. This can be a bit inconvenient for those students who want to switch to different delivery methods according to their convenience.
5. Champions School
Best for Blended Classroom
Zack’s Take:
Champions School is my pick for the best Texas real estate school, as it offers aspiring agents a mix of online and in-person experiences.
- Best For Blended Classroom
- Price: $980 for pre-licensing
Overview
Champions School of Real Estate is one of Texas’s largest real estate schools. The school offers online as well as in-person classes for real estate students. So, if you prefer in-person setups, you can count on this school for its campus-based courses. Besides that, they offer an all-in-one experience for online classes. After getting a license, you can also polish your skills by taking continuing education courses.
Highlights
- The school offers different online learning modes, including blended classroom, virtual classroom, online interactive, and online correspondence.
- Their blended classroom option is for those students who need to combine in-person learning with home study.
- Their packages include books, PDFs, exam prep courses, exam proctoring, and exam prep retakes.
- The school allows you to mix and match the delivery methods to use any method that suits you best.
- Online interactive feature courses with engaging activities, animations, and videos.
Pricing
The TX licensing program for 6-courses at Champions school costs $980, and the course price increases as there are more courses or additional features.
What I Like
The thing that I like about this school is that it offers a complete learning experience to real estate students. Not only this, it allows the students to switch between different learning modes.
What I Dislike
I think the only downside of Champions school is that its courses are costly compared to other schools.
Is the Real Estate Exam Hard in Texas?
Obtaining a Texas real estate license is not easy. This year, in September 2022, 60% of agents passed the licensing test on their first attempt. The exam consists of 125 questions, out of which 85 are national, and 40 are state questions. The minimum score to pass the test is 56 on the national and 21 on the state. The exam requires you to bring a non-scientific calculator, and each exam lasts four hours.
Overall the real estate exams are difficult to clear no matter which state you’ve applied for. However, the pass rates also depend on the real estate schools; some schools have higher pass rates than others. This means that it depends on the exam prep materials and general practice that can make you pass the test.
Do You Need a College Degree to Get a Real Estate License in Texas?
To apply for a real estate license exam in Texas, you must complete six TX licensing courses of 180 hours. Besides that, you must be 18 years old and a U.S. Citizen. You should also meet the TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission) requirement for honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness. Besides, you can still apply for a real estate license in Texas if you don’t have a college degree. However, you must take the 6-mandatory courses of 30 hours each. These courses include:
- The principles of real estate I
- The principles of real estate II
- The law of agency
- The law of contracts
- Promulgated Contracts Forms
- Basics of real estate finance
How Long Does it Take to Become a Licensed Real Estate Agent in Texas?
As I mentioned, you must first complete the 180 hours pre-licensing course to apply for the Texas real estate exam. This course consists of 6 subjects of 30 hours each. However, the duration for completing these courses depends on the real estate education provider. For instance, some schools will allow you to complete this course in 4 to 6 months while others will do it in a shorter or longer period. The duration to become a real estate agent in Texas includes taking the six courses, passing the pre-licensing course final exam, applying for a license, and then passing the state licensing exam.
Conclusion
Getting a Texas real estate license has numerous benefits, but it is not as easy as it looks. Finding the best online real estate schools is crucial as it depends on whether you’ll be able to clear the exam. The five Texas real estate schools I reviewed in this post are the most reliable ones. Check out these schools and pick one to start your real estate career in Texas today!
